Here's the thing about January: it's usually a wasteland. With the studios concentrating on their Oscar campaigns and the profitable summer months still half a year away, this month is where all of the crap usually gets dumped. However, this is also one of the few months where crap has a chance of performing well, hence the success of last year's 'The Devil Inside' and now 'Texas Chainsaw 3D,' which took the weekend with a strong $23 million opening.

Film

Weekend

Per Screen

1

Texas Chainsaw 3D

$23,000,000

$8,666

$23,000,000

2

Django Unchained

$20,082,000 (-33.3)

$6,672

$106,351,000

3

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

$17,525,000 (-45.1)

$4,667

$263,820,000

4

Les Miserables

$16,117,000 (-40.9)

$5,550

$103,605,000

5

Parental Guidance

$10,125,000 (-30.4)

$3,006

$52,671,000

6

Jack Reacher

$9,300,000 (-31.6)

$2,828

$64,804,000

7

This is 40

$8,559,000 (-31.5)

$2,920

$54,460,000

8

Lincoln

$5,258,000 (-28.3)

$2,766

$143,933,000

9

The Guilt Trip

$4,530,000 (-30.8)

$1,959

$31,207,000

10

Promised Land

$4,312,000 (+2,379.4)

$2,573

$4,661,000

Like most modern horror movies, 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' was made for pennies, so this opening is a pretty big victory that probably has the film in the black already. However, like most modern horror movies, it'll probably take a steep drop next weekend, but no one will care too much -- this thing has already made its money.

Although 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' took the weekend, the real winner in the top ten is 'Django Unchained,' which held onto the number two spot with an incredibly strong $20 million, propelling it to a total gross of $106 million. By next week, it should surpass 'Inglourious Basterds' to become Quentin Tarantino's highest grossing movie and maybe even save the bacon of the ever-troubled Weinstein Company. With little direct competition in the coming weeks, it's entirely possible to see this talky, three-hour revisionist western crawl its way to $200 million.

Also impressive is 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,' which fell to the third spot on its quest for a $300 million gross. It may not be doing the same business or inspiring the same fervor as 'The Lord of the Rings,' but with $263 million in the bank, it's certainly a hit.

In fourth place, 'Les Miserables' continued to match Django's pace, taking in $16.1 million for a $103 million total. It took a bigger fall than its competition this week, but it's already firmly in the black -- every dollar made after this is just gravy on top of a very successful sundae (eww). If it's anything like the show it's based on, fans will continue to flock back to it on a regular basis, especially with a pretty slow month ahead.

In fifth place, 'Parental Guidance' continued to grow into a sleeper hit, riding a small percentage drop to a $10 million weekend and a $52 million gross. Right below it, 'Jack Reacher' performed similarly, grossing $9.3 million for a $64 million total. If both films continue to only suffer small drops from week to week, they could ride their way to $90-$100 million. That would make 'Parental Guidance' a smash and 'Jack Reacher' a minor disappointment. Similarly, the $8.4 million weekend of 'This is 40' and the $54 million gross aren't sexy when compared to the numbers of 'The 40 Year Old Virgin' and 'Knocked Up,' but it's going to outgross 'Funny People,' so at least Judd Apatow can celebrate that.

And the rest? 'Lincoln' will hit $150 million next weekend and it's starting to slow down, but Oscar nominations may give it a second wind. 'The Guilt Trip' isn't embarrassing itself. Finally, Gus Van Sant's 'Promised Land' expanded wide, $4.3 million for an astonishing 2,379% rise.

Next week, 'Gangster Squad' and 'A Haunted House' will arrive and they both feel like wild cards. Stay tuned!